In The Wake of Art
The photographs in this folio were captured at the School of Art and Design at Alfred University. Inspired by the richness of the studio landscape constantly shifting and changing with the processes of the artists. This folio is an exploration of the beauty found in the tools and byproducts that are part of the creative process.
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"Hi. Can I ask you what you are doing?” It took a moment for the question to register and then another to recognize that a response was required. I turned to look at my inquisitor and was greeted by a smiling waiting face. Fearful that I would be asked to leave I offered up a clumsy reply. Although I knew very well what I was doing this was perhaps the first time verbalizing it for a stranger. “I’m trying to capture the beauty in the debris that’s created when you make your art.” His smile grew even wider and his eyes narrowed a bit while the idea turned over inside him. “Wow. Cool.” he said with satisfaction and then turned and walked away.
It’s not easy to go unnoticed when you set up your camera gear in the middle of a work room at an art college. But I thought I could be stealthy. What I hadn’t counted on was the hyper awareness of young artists. I also hadn’t counted on the ease of understanding I would encounter when the idea behind my project was presented to them. But who would be better able to appreciate the idea than people who are already deeply engaged in creativity.
While visiting our daughter at college the first time, she conducted a tour of the art buildings. There, in every corner of every room, were wonderful textures and compositions created as by-products of the process of making art. Constantly changing as students sculpted, painted, etched, sketched, cast and threw, cleaned up and started over again. A seemingly never ending supply of photographic inspiration. Beauty in the wake of art.